Manufacture and application of fibers and fabrics



Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

p 1,554,801 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY DREYFUS, OF LONDON, JOHN FREDERICK BRIGGS, OF SPONDON, NEAR DERBY,

AND HAROLD REGINALD. SEIP'IIMUS CLOT'WORTI-IY, F DERBY, ENGLAND, AS-

SIGNORS, BY HESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AMERICAN CELLULOSE AND CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED INCORPORATED, 0F NEW,..YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MANUFACTURE AND APPLICATION OF FIBERS AND FABRICS.

No Drawing.

I It is known that cellulose acetatecan be made into artificial silk by spinning or ex trusion processes, the silk usually consisting of a number of individual filaments associated together as a thread, with or without twisting, or consisting, in the case of socalled artificial chappe or spun silk, of more or less short lengths of filaments or threads spun together similarly to spun or floss silk.

We have now found that artificial silks, filaments, threads or fibers made with celluucts resembling wool, hair, fur or other animal fibers by submitting them to treatment whereby they become more or less crinkled in appearance and have their lustre removed to a greater or less extent according to the degree to which the treatment is carried.

The treatment may consist in subjecting the artificial silk, filaments or fibers to hot or boiling water or steam, the crinkling effect being more or less pronounced and the lustre of the artificial silk or filaments being more or less reduced or removed, according to the intensity and duration of the treatment. By suitably regulating or graduating the treatment, filaments, threads, fibers or products can be produced giving the most various effects, for example a wool-like or hair-like products havin still nearly the full lustre of the artificial sill z, or only part of the lustre, or only a little lustre or no lustre.

All of such various filaments, threads, fibers or products have their applications in different trades. i

A further advantage of the invention is that artificial silk threads subjected to the lose acetate can be transformed into prod Application filed March 7, 1921. Serial No. 450,403.

treatment have their covering power increased thereby.

Instead of hot or boiling water or. steam one can also use other substances or agents having a similar effect for the treatment, for instance sulphocyanide solutions or acetic acld of any suitable strength, for example aqueous solutions of ammonium, potassium, or calcium sulphocyanide of 15, 20, 25 or strength, or acetic acid of 20, 25, 30 or strength, though we in no way limit ourselves to these concentrations. According to the concentration, temperature and duration of the treatment different effects can be pro duced. In using chemical substances such as just referred to, however, it is usually pref erable to work at or about ordinary temperature.

Instead of the above-named substances, others may be used having the same effect, and in short any other treatment giving similar effects of crinkling and decrease of lustre to a greater or less extent, may be employed.

The products obtainable by the present invention are capable of very various applications in industry, including all kinds of yarns and fabrics, artificial furs, plushes and so forth; Also owing to the great air-imprisoning capacity of the threads, fibers or fibrous masses obtainable by the invention the products are valuable for clothing and for heat insulation pfirposes in general.

The treatment may be applied to the filaments, fibers or threads of cellulose acetate or to fabrics of or containing the same.

' Also in making piled, plush-like or furlike fabrics the treatment may be applied to them after production of the fabric, or may be applied to the filaments, threads or fibers for use in such fabrics.

Instead of cellulose acetate silk threads, filaments or fibers one can also use silk threads, filaments or fibers of any other cellulose esters, or fabrics of or containing the same.

The artificial silk may be subjected to the treatment in hank or any other suitable form but not wound on bobbins or otherwise in a state of tension, as it has been found that when the silk or filaments so treated are dried under tension the original lustre and straightness thereof tend to be restored.

For the purpose of the invention, the threads of associated filaments from the spinnerets or spinning machines may be wound direct into hank or like, form on hanking frames or other devices, thus avoiding the complication and expense of winding on to numerous bobbins and of afterwards winding into hank .or other form, for the treatment. .Such a methodis especially interesting when. it is desired to make an artificial chappe or spun silk forsubjection to the treatment, as the-hanks can be simply .cut up into suitable lengths for'spinning or twistlng together to c 'appe-or-spu-n silk form and be afterwards subjected to the treatment.

Example 1.

Cellulose acetate silk threads of asso-';

ciated filaments, twisted or not, are exposed for about 5 to 10 minutes to boiling water,

and are then squeezed out or pressed and dried. The resulting threads will have lost some of their lustre, and become crinkled, softer to the touch and woolly in appearance. These effects vary with the duration of treatment. If the treatment is carried on a longer, for instance for an hour, these effects are still more pronounced. In carrying the treatment sufficiently long one reaches the state .where the lustre-has completely disappeared.

Example 2.

Cellulose acetate threads are immersed in water at about 80 C. for about an hour and are then squeezed out or ressed and dried. The effects are similar to t ose referred to in Example 1 and are more pronounced as the treatment is prolonged.

Cellulose acetate silk threads are exposed to a 25% solution of ammonium sulphocyanide in the cold for 2 to 3 hours, squeezed out and dried. The silk crinkles and loses its lustre progressively with the time of treatment. If, instead oi using a 25% solut-ion, a 30% solution is employed, the point of wool, hair or other animal fibers as referred to. v I Artificial chappe or threads made from same, to the action threads or filaments of celluloseacetate or other cellulose esters',.by taking such threads in hankor any other form, cutting them up into more or less short lengthsand spinningor twisting the same into chappe or spun thread form, maybe subjected to the crin-' kling and delustering treatment after the spmning What we claim and desire-to secure by may be appliedbefore the'cutting upand' Letters Patent is: 1. A process for the manufacture of prod-' ucts showin the effects of 'wool, hair or other" anima fibers, comprising subjecting lustrous filaments, threads or fibers of cel-. lulose ester-orfabrics of or containing the te'ring agent' 2., Aprocess for themanufacture of products showingfthe effects of wool, hair or other animal fibers, comprising subjecting .lustrous filaments, threads or fibers of cellulose ester, or fabrics of or containing the same, to the action of a fiuid agent wherev by they are crinkled and delustered to a greater orless extent according to the degreeto which the treatment is carried.

3. A'process for the manufacture of products showing the efiects of wool, hair or other animal fibers, comprising subjecting lustrous filaments, threads or fibers of cellulose ester, or fabrics of or containing the same, to the action of a fluid agent whereby they are crinkled and delusteredto a greater or less extent according to the degree to which the treatment is carried, and subsequently drying them without tension.

4. A process for the manufacture of products showing the effects of wool, hair or other animal fibers, comprising subjecting lustrous filaments, threads'or fibers of cellulose ester, or fabrics of orcontaining the same, to theyaction of water at high temperature whereby they are crinkled and delustered to a greateror less extent according to the degree to which the treatment is carcutting up and spinning or the treatment of a crinkling and delusried, and subsequently drying them with- I out tension.

5. A process for the manufacture of products showing the efl'ects of wool, hair or other animal fibers, comprising subjecting lustrous filamentsthreads or fibers of cel lulose ester, or fabrics-of or containing the same, to the action of boilingwater whereby they'are crinkled and delustered to a greater or less extent according to the degree to which'the treatment is carried, and subsequently drying them without tension.

6. A process for the manufacture of prodiucts showingthe effects of wool, hair 'or other animal fibers, comprising winding lustrous-threads or filaments of cellulose e'sterg difect into hank-like form, cutting up into short lengths, spinning finto chappe other anima fibers, comprisin ikling and delustering .agent, subs tantially as described.

7 A process for the manufacture of products showmg the effects of .wool, hair or other animal fibers, comprising sub ectlng' lustrous filaments, threads or fibers of cellulose acetate or fabrics of or containing the same, to the action of a crinkling and delustering agent.

8. A process for the manufacture of products showing the effects of wool, hair or other animal fibers, comprising subjecting lustrous filaments, threads or fibers of cellulose acetate, or fabrics of or containing the same, to the action of a fluid agent whereby they are crinkled'and delustered to a greater or less extent according to the degree to which the treatment is carried.

9. A'process for the manufacture of products showin the effects of wool, hair or subjecting lustrous filaments, threads or bers of cellulose acetate, or fabrics of or containing thev same, to the action of a fluid agent whereby they are crinkled and delustered to agreater or less extent according to the de ree to which the treatment is carried, an subsequently drying them without tension.

10. A. process for the manufacture of products showin the effects of wool, hair or other anima fibers, comprisin subjecting lustrous filaments, threads 'or here of cellulose acetate, or fabrics of or containing the same, to the action of water at high temperature whereby they are crinkled and delustered to a greater or less extent according to the degree to which the treatment is car- 'ried, and subsequently dryingthem without:

tension.

" 11. A process for the manufacture of products showing the effects of wool, hair .or. other animal-fibers, comprising subjecting lustrous filaments, threads or fibers of cellulose acetate, or fabrics of or containing the same, to the action ofboiling water whereby they are crinkled and delustered to a greateror less extent according to the degree towhich the treatment is .carried, and subsequently drying them without tens1on.

12. A process for the manufacture of products showing the effects of wool, hair or other animal fibers, comprising winding lustrous threads or filaments of cellulose acetate direct into hank-like form,'.cutting up into short lengths, spinning into chappe form and subjecting to the action of a crinkling and delustering'agent, substantially as described. a I

13. As new products, filaments, threads, fibers,-piled, plush-like, fur-like and other fabrics consisting of or containing filaments, threads or fibers of crinkled and delustered cellulose ester showing the effects of wool, hair or other animal fibers. j

14. As new products, filaments, threads, fibers, piled, plush-like, fur-like and other fabrics consisting of or containing filaments, threads or fibers of crinkled and delustered cellulose acetate showing the effects of wool, hair or other animal fibers.

In testimony whereof 'we have hereunto subscribed our names.

HENRY DREYFUS.

Joim FREDERICK mucosa p HAROLD REGINALD SEPTIIUS CLO'I'WORTHY. 

